


all it takes is one step

by likewinning



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-10-28
Updated: 2010-10-28
Packaged: 2018-01-26 01:39:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1669982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/likewinning/pseuds/likewinning
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>Danneel’s still a little breathless, a little too warm from the way Genevieve just said <strong>best friend</strong> so casually, like it’s something they’ve both known all along. She guesses they have, maybe. She’s always had Jensen, but Genevieve is – yeah.</em>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	all it takes is one step

**Author's Note:**

> Title from Jenny Owen Youngs.

**Title** : all it takes is one step  
 **Fandom** : RPF  
 **Pairing** : Danneel Harris/Genevieve Cortese, minor Genevieve/Jared and Danneel/Adrianne Palicki  
 **Rating** : PG-13  
 **Word Count** : 13.9k  
 **Summary** : _Danneel’s still a little breathless, a little too warm from the way Genevieve just said **best friend** so casually, like it’s something they’ve both known all along. She guesses they have, maybe. She’s always had Jensen, but Genevieve is – yeah._  
 **Notes** : For my darling , of course, who puts up with all of my nonsense. Seriously, I am very lucky she decided not to punch me in the mouth in the process of getting this story together. She even made a mix for this [here](http://shiplessheathen.livejournal.com/219867.html), because she is amazing. Go listen to that even if you skip this story, thanks. ALSO (how do I suck this much!) thanks to for looking this over! <3 Title from Jenny Owen Youngs.

 

By the time Danneel reaches the audition, she’s already managed to spill coffee down the front of her shirt and burn a hole in her jeans – she’s quitting smoking _tomorrow_ , fucking seriously. This is all, of course, after she had to run back upstairs to her apartment to grab her cell phone, and then to actually lock the door. She gets to the audition ten minutes late and the place is already packed, and she somehow manages to bump directly into one of the girls standing by the door.

“Jesus,” Danneel says. “I’m _sorry_.”

The other girls nearby look at her, and Danneel is tempted to flip them off, but she’s auditioning for a girl next door part today, not mean girl number three or whatever.

The girl Danneel bumped into turns around and smiles at Danneel, and Danneel kind of loses track of what the fuck she’s even doing here because – yeah, the girl has a _really_ nice smile. She’s small, a good few inches shorter than Danneel, with long dark hair and big brown eyes and Danneel immediately starts to wonder exactly how inappropriate it would be to hit on this girl after, you know, sort of hitting her.

“It’s okay,” the girl assures her. “This place is crazy, and I’m kind of in the way, but there’s nowhere left to sit.”

“Just my luck,” Danneel says, grimacing. “I’ve been rushing around like a crazy person all day. I’m a mess. I should probably just let this one go, you know?”

“No way,” the girl says, grinning at her again and yeah, Danneel’s definitely not going anywhere. “Maybe the producers _really like_ the coffee-stained look.” Danneel flushes, but the girl holds up her hand and says, “Seriously, don’t worry about it. I work at Starbucks. Do you know how hard it was for me to find a shirt that didn’t have mocha on the collar?”

Danneel laughs. “I’m a waitress,” she says. “I feel your pain.”

“I’m sure you do,” the girl agrees. “So, I’m Genevieve.”

“Danneel,” Danneel says. She starts to say something else, but her phone buzzes in her pocket and she flips it open to check the message. “Oh, god,” she says once she reads it, laughing.

“Good news?” Genevieve asks.

Danneel shows her the text. It’s from Jensen, and instead of what’s probably a traditional _break a leg_ it just says, _show ‘em your tits_.

“Classy,” Genevieve says, laughing. Danneel really, really likes her laugh. “Boyfriend?”

“God, he wishes,” Danneel says, even though she and Jensen, through many years of occasionally inexplicable friendship, have explained numerous times to outsiders and each other why they could never, ever date. “I’m – gay,” she adds. She knows it might be too early in the conversation to say it, but Genevieve _asked_ – sort of – and there’s always a chance, however small, that Genevieve might say _oh, me too! Want to make out sometime?_

Danneel’s an actress, okay. Unrealistic expectations are her bag.

“Oh,” Genevieve says, not really reacting one way or another. “Well, he sounds charming anyway.”

“He thinks so,” Danneel agrees, shoving her phone into her pocket after sending off a quick text ( _fuck you too, loser <3_). “I once suggested he blow all four producers on a show to get a part, so you can see we’re both outstanding friends.”

“Clearly,” Genevieve says. “So he’s gay, too?”

“Sometimes. Hey, look,” she points out, as a couple of girls nearby get up when they hear their names called. “Chairs!”

They each grab a seat, and instead of rehearsing lines like they maybe should, they spend the next hour or so while they wait to be called talking about their jobs – Danneel’s been waiting tables since before she even moved to LA, and she has more than a few horror stories. Genevieve has plenty of her own, and they’re both still laughing by the time Genevieve’s name gets called. She nods at the woman by the door holding her clipboard, but she looks back at Danneel before standing up. “So, we should hang out,” she says. “I could use a few more friends here, and I have a feeling your waitress stories are endless.”

“Until I get rich and famous, yeah,” Danneel says, grinning.

“See? I need to get to know you beforehand so you don’t snub me down the line.” Genevieve’s name gets called again, but she rattles off her phone number to Danneel as she heads toward the door and Danneel programs it into her phone. She immediately texts Genevieve the same thing Jensen text messaged her.

*

Danneel pretty much bombs the audition. It’s not that she _can’t_ play the girl next door type – it’s not even that Danneel doesn’t remember the lines, because despite spending the last hour talking to Genevieve instead of brushing up on them, she _does_. It’s just that Danneel’s a little too excited about hanging out with Genevieve sometime that it shows on her face and in her delivery, and the director keeps asking her to tone it down.

Once she leaves the room and checks her phone, though, there’s a text from Genevieve that might make it worth scrounging for rent money in the near future: _totally blew it_ , she says. _If you’re not about to be rich & famous, want to hang out tomorrow?_

Danneel has to work tomorrow, and she’s pretty sure she promised Jensen she’d stop by the bar later that night, but that’s no reason she can’t bring Genevieve with, or something. _Definitely not rich yet_ , she replies. _What are your feelings on tequila?_ she texts, and just before she gets to her car her phone buzzes again. _It’s only my best friend in the world._ Danneel texts her the time and the address of the bar where Jensen works, then gets in the car and drives back home to change before work.

*

Jensen’s been Danneel’s best friend since middle school, and he remains the first and only guy Danneel’s ever kissed, which is why when Jensen says, “Jesus, Danneel, not again,” when Danneel starts talking about Genevieve, she doesn’t punch him _directly_ in the mouth. She just smacks him on the shoulder and says, “Shut up. It’s not like that.”

They’re at Owen’s, the semi-pretentious bar where Jensen works when he’s not bombing his own auditions. Owen’s is only semi-pretentious because the bartenders and wait staff all have to dress nicely and address all patrons as _sir_ or _miss_ , and the music leans toward class A snobbery, but the drinks are cheap and they have all these ridiculous deals about getting free mozzarella sticks or jalapeño poppers when you buy so many beers. Jensen claims to hate the place, but it’s also nearly impossible to get him to another bar even if he’s _not_ working.

Anyway, Danneel’s sipping her soda while she waits for Genevieve to show up, and Jensen is too busy criticizing her existence to _work_ , or whatever he actually does here. “Oh,” Jensen says, pulling one of the bitchfaces that Danneel definitely taught him. “So you’re not harboring a major crush for a straight girl again?”

Danneel scowls at him. “She never _said_ she was straight,” she says. “I just told her I was gay and she said _oh_. It’s not like we spent an hour talking about her fucking boyfriend.” Jensen doesn’t say anything, but he never really needs to say anything to let Danneel know that he’s judging her. “Anyway,” Danneel says, waving her hand around vaguely. “Who said I wanted to date her? Maybe I’m looking for a new best friend who isn’t a total dick.”

Jensen grins at her. “You love me, Harris. I? Am irreplaceable.”

This is absolutely true, but before Danneel can say that (or tell him to fuck off and die), Jensen’s eyes widen a little. “That’s her, isn’t it?” he asks, nodding his head toward someone behind Danneel. She turns toward where Jensen indicated and sees Genevieve near the door, looking around for her. Danneel waves, and Genevieve spots her and grins before she starts maneuvering through the crowd.

Danneel turns back to Jensen for a second. “Behave,” she tells him, fixing him with a look.

“What am I, a dog?” Jensen asks, smirking at her. “She’s cute,” he says. “I’m definitely cuter.”

Danneel flips him off, then turns to greet Genevieve as she steps up to the bar. “Hi,” she says. She immediately regrets that they decided to come here, because Genevieve looks _fantastic_ – tight jeans and black boots, a low-cut top and her hair down and wavy – and Danneel’s definitely not going to be able to resist checking her out and Jensen is _right there_ , judging. And probably checking her out, too.

“Hey,” Genevieve says, hopping up on the stool next to Danneel. “How was work?”

“Boring,” Danneel says, shrugging. She gestures toward Jensen with a tilt of her head. “So,” she tells Genevieve, “this is my friend Jensen.”

Genevieve’s eyebrows go up, and the look she gives Jensen once she sees him is kind of hilarious. She does check him out, Danneel notices, but _everyone_ checks Jensen out, so Danneel tries not to take it to heart. “Hi,” Genevieve says to him.

“Hey,” Jensen says, smiling at her. He holds out a hand for Genevieve to shake, and Genevieve takes it, saying, “So, you’re the _show ‘em your tits_ guy. You know, I thought you’d be taller.”

Jensen turns bright red, and Danneel makes a valiant effort not to kiss Genevieve _right there_. She settles for cracking up while Genevieve adds, “You’re prettier than I imagined, though, so you’ve got that going for you.”

“Thanks,” Jensen grumbles, letting go of Genevieve’s hand. “I’m gonna go get the drinks.”

Once Jensen walks off, Genevieve turns to Danneel, smiling crookedly. “That wasn’t too much, was it?” she asks, sounding a little nervous.

“Nah,” Danneel says. “He’s used to the abuse. Before you got here –” Danneel cuts herself off, because talking about _that_ would require way more alcohol than she plans to consume now or ever. Granted, she doesn’t know if Genevieve’s straight or what, but Jensen’s right, sort of. It’s pointless to crush or get her hopes up before she _knows_. “Our relationship is kind of ridiculous,” Danneel finishes instead.

“Maybe,” Genevieve says lightly. She glances over toward Jensen further down the bar, who’s decided to help paying customers before getting their shots. “I don’t know, though,” she says. “It’s kind of a shame you’re gay. You guys would have _gorgeous_ kids.”

This actually isn’t the first time someone’s said that to her, because she and Jensen used to spend an unhealthy amount of time together, but Danneel feels her face heat up, anyway. “Just what I always wanted out of life,” she jokes. “A vanity project.”

“Well, you _are_ in LA.”

*

As it turns out, Genevieve is kind of a loud drunk, so about three shots in she starts singing along with every song that comes out of the speakers. “This is the same shit we play at Starbucks,” she informs Danneel, and Jensen – moving between them and serving real customers – looks appalled. Like he doesn’t fucking _live_ at Starbucks, practically. “Only sometimes you get days where all they play is Ella Fitzgerald, and you wonder if giving yourself a third-degree burn with the steam wand is worth getting sent home from work.”

Danneel laughs, downing her fourth shot for the night – and probably her last. She’s always been an affectionate drunk, and she’ll lose any chance of _not_ hitting on Genevieve if she keeps it up. “So what do you decide?”

Genevieve grins at her, and Danneel wonders if Genevieve would make out with her even a _little_. “That I suddenly need to go borrow vanilla syrup from the store down the block? Whatever works.”

“All we play at my work is country,” Danneel says. “There’s no escape.”

“I bet you know all the words, too,” Genevieve says. “You’ve been there a while, right?”

“Yep,” Danneel nods. “Got my own cot there and everything.” Then she grimaces, because it’s a work joke – everyone who comes in gives Danneel a _you again_ kind of look, even if they like her. But Genevieve nods in understanding. “Everything I eat for breakfast is at work,” she says. “I get so _confused_ what to do on my days off.”

Then the song changes, and Genevieve starts to belt out the words again. Jensen joins her from across the bar, and Danneel wonders just what she’s gotten herself into.

Genevieve stays another hour or so and they swap stories about coming to LA, but it turns out she has to work the next morning, so she gets up to leave around midnight. “Jesus,” Danneel says. “What are you doing here if you have to work?” Genevieve shrugs, wobbling just a bit on her heels when she gets to her feet. “Don’t worry,” she says. “I’m fully certified to operate an espresso bar while hungover.”

“Or still drunk?” Danneel asks.

“Or still drunk,” Genevieve agrees. She shifts on her feet a little, and Danneel might not be drunk enough to try anything, but she’s drunk enough to _look_ ; Genevieve’s flushed from the alcohol, her hair a little messy now from spending a good amount of time swinging her head around to the music, and her eye make-up is more than a little smudged, but she still looks gorgeous.

Danneel knows she should end it right here, should at least _figure out_ if Genevieve wants anything else out of this, but all she blurts out is, “What are you doing tomorrow?”

“ _Working_ ,” Genevieve teases, rolling her eyes. “Didn’t we just go over this? Tequila doesn’t cause amnesia, last I checked.”

“Totally does,” Danneel disagrees, smiling back. “I meant _after_ that, genius.”

Something flickers in Genevieve’s expression, and Danneel opens her mouth to take it back – she _likes_ Genevieve, yeah, but they just met, and –

“I’ve got some stuff to take care of tomorrow,” Genevieve says. “But the day after, I am _all_ yours.”

Danneel refrains from saying she fucking _wishes_ , and instead she tells Genevieve to text her whenever. She hopes it doesn’t come off as _too_ desperate because it’s not like – Danneel _knows_ she’s pretty hot. If the amount of people who hit on her every time she shows up at the bar didn’t clue her in, _something_ else probably would. She knows it wouldn’t be that difficult for her to find someone, if she wanted – she dated around long enough to be sure of that.

It’s just. She’s always falling for straight girls. Even if she’s not even _sure_ about Genevieve yet. It didn’t really come up.

Genevieve says goodbye and leaves, and Danneel shoves aside their empty shot glasses so that she can faceplant on the counter until Jensen’s ready to go. Maybe if she looks extra pathetic, he won’t even make fun of her. There’s always hope.

*

“So,” Jensen says through the bathroom door the next morning, while Danneel is vomiting up the last of her insides, “at any point last night did you happen to ask the really easy question of _hey, do you maybe like girls_?”

Danneel groans, pushes herself up from the floor, and doesn’t say anything. “Or, you know,” Jensen goes on while Danneel brushes her teeth, “even something simple like, _are you dating anyone at all right now_?”

Danneel spits out toothpaste and rinses her mouth. “Maybe even: _hey, whose pants would you rather get into right now, if you had to chose: mine, or my super hot best friend’s_?”

Danneel dries her face off, and finally opens the door to give Jensen a glare that, she’s sort of hoping, might cause him to burst into flames.

It doesn’t, of course, because Danneel’s life is not actually that awesome. “Wow,” Jensen says. “You know, I think I’m officially done being even remotely attracted to you from this point forward.”

“Fuck you,” Danneel says, pushing past him on her way out of the bathroom. Now that there’s nothing left inside her, she feels a little less like death, but her brain still wants to crawl out of her skull. “You know you’d still jump me if you had the chance.”

“Nope. Totally cured,” Jensen says, giving her that blinding grin that no one, animal, mineral, or vegetable, is actually immune to.

“You spent the night on my back-breaking couch,” Danneel points out, grinning right back at him even though it’s physically painful to do so right now. Those extra shots of tequila she decided to have once she got back home? Absolutely her worst decision since she told journalism to fuck itself because _acting_ – acting was the way to go. “Clearly,” she continues, “you still love me.”

“Maybe a little,” Jensen says, ushering her down the hallway and toward the kitchen. “I made you breakfast.”

“Oh god,” Danneel says, turning to look at him. “If it’s French toast, we’re getting gay married immediately.” For Danneel, grease and Gatorade and aspirin have nothing on French toast in terms of hangover cures, the more syrup and powder sugar-drenched the better.

“I think it’s still just married,” Jensen points out, but Danneel isn’t listening because she can _smell_ the French toast, butter and eggs and cinnamon and she might actually live through today. “But yeah,” he says. “Feel free to tell me how awesome I am at any point in time.”

“Definitely awesome,” Danneel says as they reach the kitchen. She doesn’t bother with silverware or actually sitting down, just stands at the counter and starts drenching everything in syrup and digging in. Jensen watches her in mild disgust, but it’s not like he hasn’t seen it before.

Jensen’s smart sometimes, so he waits until Danneel’s on her third piece before saying, “So, you’re going to ask her, right?”

Danneel looks up at him. He’s dressed already, his nicer pair of jeans and a collared shirt, which means he already went back to his place for a change of clothes and came back here to take care of her. It’s nothing Danneel hasn’t done for _him_ , since Jensen’s love life is at _least_ as much of a mess as hers is, but it still hurts, a little.

“I don’t know,” Danneel says quietly. She leans back against the counter. “I mean, I really like her, but we just met. I don’t want to push anything and –” she gestures uselessly. “I mean, I don’t _need_ to date her. Being friends would be fine.” Jensen scoffs, and Danneel points a finger at him. “Shut up. I have plenty of female friends that I don’t want to date.”

“But you want to date _her_ ,” Jensen says softly. Danneel nods, because she _does_ , but it’s – not a big deal. It’s just a dumb crush, and she’ll get over it. “You could ask her, you know,” Jensen says. “Seriously. One question, and if she says no -” Jensen smirks a little “- well, remind her that you have a really hot, fifty percent straight friend.”

Danneel punches his arm, not all that gently. It doesn’t actually solve anything, but it feels good, and it makes for ten minutes of Jensen complaining about abusive supposed best friends. “Yeah, yeah,” Danneel says, pushing him toward the door. “You’re gonna be late. Break a leg, sweetie.”

*

Despite being mostly cured of her hangover, work that day is hell. One of the other waitresses calls in, so Danneel gets stuck working twice the amount of tables. Danneel _doesn’t_ work in a particularly classy place, so one of the kids decides that instead of using their crayons for good, he’d rather draw large green monsters and space aliens all over the table. Really, the only positive side to Danneel’s night is that Katie’s working, except Katie, despite being a lot of fun and _never_ being afraid to tell parents off for letting their kids color on the furniture, really enjoys loudly declaring to anyone in the vicinity that Danneel has a _huge_ crush on her.

Which she doesn’t, anymore. Katie dated Jensen for about a minute and a half before going back to her old boyfriend, and that was enough to throw Danneel off even thinking about her for life. Katie’s just a _jackass_.

So by the time Danneel gets her break, she’s immersed in elaborate fantasies about setting the restaurant on fire and making it look like an accident when her phone buzzes with a text. _I just got stuck working a double shift because some idiot got tickets to a Lakers game & decided it was more important than work_, Genevieve writes. Danneel’s heart doesn’t do anything funny at all when she sees the name. _If I tell you I’m going to kill everyone, does that count as premeditated?_

_Maybe_ , Danneel writes, definitely not grinning stupidly as she presses her thumbs to the keys. _But I won’t tell anyone._

She and Genevieve spend the next fifteen minutes texting about nonsense, and at the end of it Danneel isn’t any closer to figuring Genevieve out, but Genevieve does tell her to come visit her at work the next day, so she figures that’s a good sign. She chooses to ignore Jensen’s response to all of this: _Please let me set you up with someone. LA is full of pretty girls._

It’s not like he’s got his shit figured out, either.

*

Danneel has an audition first thing in the morning, some local commercial that she doesn’t get but doesn’t completely _suck_ at, but afterward she drives just a _little_ out of her way to the Starbucks where Genevieve works.

It’s almost one, so there’s only one other guy at the counter when Danneel gets in, and he’s tall and broad-shouldered enough that Danneel can’t actually see who he’s talking to. She hears him laugh, though, and when he steps aside to get his drink, Danneel sees Genevieve behind the counter, still smiling at whatever the guy just said. Then she spots Danneel, and Danneel can’t help hoping the way her smile widens is for _her_.

“Hey!” she says when Danneel steps up to the counter. “Any luck at the audition?”

“Not really,” Danneel admits. “They asked me to come in and try out for something else if I’m free tomorrow, though. That can’t be too bad, right?”

“That’s _awesome_ ,” Genevieve says. Danneel grins back, but it’s definitely _not_ because she’s thinking more about how cute Genevieve looks in her green apron than about potential auditions. But then Genevieve brushes back a loose piece of hair and Danneel seems there’s a smudge of caramel on her wrist and okay, it’s a little adorable. _Whatever._

“Yeah,” Danneel agrees. “How’s work?”

“Fine, until that idiot decided to show up,” Genevieve says, gesturing to the guy from before. She says it loud enough that the guy hears her, and Danneel’s eyes widen a little until he steps back over and she realizes Genevieve and the guy know each other.

“Abusing me in front of customers now, Gen?” the guy asks, grinning. He’s a fucking _giant_ , Danneel notices, and while she has no interest whatsoever in guys, even she can appreciate that he’s really good-looking.

“Nope,” Genevieve says, grinning back at him. “She hasn’t bought anything yet, so currently, I’m just abusing you in front of my friend.”

“Oh,” the guy says, looking unphased. “Well, in that case.” He holds out a hand to Danneel, who takes it automatically, still feeling a little out of her element. “I’m Jared,” the guy says, offering her another smile.

“Danneel,” Danneel says, smiling faintly back as Jared lets go of her hand. She looks between both of them for some confirmation or denial of what they might be, but neither one of them says anything. Danneel’s a decent actress, but she’s not sure she can keep the waver out of her voice if she _asks_.

“Great to meet you,” Jared says. “I gotta run, though.” He looks questioningly at Danneel, gesturing to himself. “I look like I could play basketball, right?”

“Um,” Danneel says.

“Just tell him no,” Genevieve advises. “It’s more fun that way.”

Jared sticks his tongue out at her, and Danneel’s still feeling lost when Jared and Genevieve say their goodbyes and good lucks. She watches him go, then turns back to Genevieve. “Uh, so,” she starts, “Was –”

“I’m going to take my break,” Genevieve interrupts, reaching behind her to undo the straps of her apron. “Want a stolen pastry while I’m back here?”

“Um,” Danneel says again. _Yes_ is always the right answer to that question, and Genevieve seems to get it, because she grabs a muffin for Danneel and a bagel for herself and claims a table for them out on the floor. Danneel sits down and starts picking at her muffin while Genevieve tears apart her bagel. “So,” Danneel tries again, figuring as few words as possible will work here. “Boyfriend?”

Genevieve grimaces. “We’re not really doing the labels thing.”

Danneel isn’t sure what that means, but she’s also pretty sure Genevieve won’t explain it if she doesn’t _ask_. “Meaning?”

Genevieve shrugs, chewing her bagel with a thoughtful expression before offering, “Well, the sex is good, and I like him, you know? He’s great. But I don’t really…” She shrugs again. “We were friends for a really long time first. We both did this terrible pilot about astronauts and then we started hanging out a lot. So basically,” she finishes, tearing off another piece of bagel, “we’re just friends who have semi-regular sex.”

“Oh,” Danneel says. She isn’t really sure what else _to_ say. It’s none of her business, but at the same time it’s – at least she knows, now. Genevieve’s taken, however casual she tries to make it sound. “So,” she tries, finally tearing the paper off her muffin. She’s not hungry, but it’s chocolate, and she has to hope it will cure at least a little of the ache in her chest. “Astronauts?”

“God, you don’t even want to know,” Genevieve says, laughing and shaking her head. She tells Danneel anyway, though, and they spend the last fifteen minutes of Genevieve’s break talking bad auditions and worse jobs, and at the end of it they make plans to hang out on the weekend. Danneel convinces herself she can _do_ this, that they can just be friends – because Genevieve’s taken, but she’s too great of a person for Danneel to just give this up completely. Her face hurts from laughing and she’s almost late to start work, and it’s worth it.

She does make one concession, though. On her break, instead of texting Genevieve about the skeevy produce guy who spent ten minutes looking at her tits, she calls Jensen and says, “Okay, okay. Set me up with someone.”

*

Danneel’s not too in denial to admit that finding out about Jared - and Genevieve’s apparent straightness – didn’t hurt, but things do get a little easier, afterward. She doesn’t have to wonder anymore, so she can be more of herself around Genevieve now. They keep each other updated about auditions ( _is Cortese really that hard to pronounce? Idgi_ ) and work ( _someone just left me a $20 tip. Do you think god was at my table and I didn’t even spring for free mozzarella sticks?_ ), and if Danneel doesn’t really ask about Jared, well, Genevieve doesn’t volunteer information about him unless she’s four shots in, anyway.

Jensen continues to judge her for the entire friendship, but he at least tones it down to the more _silent_ judging once Danneel starts going on dates. She mostly swore off random hookups after college and she’s already learned that if it’s up to her, she’ll find the one straight girl in a room, so she lets Jensen set her up with girls he knows from the bar.

For as well as Jensen knows her, though, that ends up being a bit of a mistake. The girls are all nice and everything, but Jensen just _decided_ Alona was gay because she turned _him_ down for a date, and she didn’t have the heart to tell him she was straight. Kaley’s adorable, but more than a little frightening – she spots one of her exes while they’re on a date, and Danneel ends up ducking out of the restaurant instead of watching _that_ whole confrontation play out.

So really, Danneel’s a little wary by the time Jensen fixes her up with Adrianne. “Just to preface this,” Jensen told her beforehand, “I’m pretty sure she’s bi, so if she is and I let _you_ have her and you screw it up? We’re probably done.”

Danneel initially takes that as a joke, but when she actually _sees_ Adrianne? Yeah, she gets what Jensen meant, because Adrianne is seriously hot: reddish-brown hair and a killer smile and legs that go on for fucking _ever_. Really, it’s rare that Danneel gets tongue-tied, but she is a little here, at first.

The waiter leads them to their table and they sit down, and once they’ve both figured out their orders they start talking about their jobs. It turns out Adrianne works part-time at the bar, but she’s also working on getting a book published, which Danneel finds ridiculously awesome. They’re midway through dinner before they’ve exhausted the topic, at which point Adrianne says, “So, Jensen told me you’re kind of, uh –”

“Crushing pathetically on another girl who has no interest?” Danneel finishes for her, smiling wryly.

“To put it nicely, yeah,” Adrianne says, smiling back. She tilts her head. “So am I wasting my time?”

Danneel starts to answer, but just then her phone buzzes with a text and she flips it open without even thinking about it. _Worst night_ , Genevieve writes. _Want to get drinks with me later? Jensen promised he’d buy me something with an umbrella._

She closes her phone and looks back at Adrianne. She doesn’t seem annoyed, but she’s smiling sadly at Danneel and she doesn’t seem all that surprised when Danneel says, “Yeah. Maybe a little.”

Adrianne nods. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“She’s just –” Danneel smiles a little, sure she looks ridiculous and smitten, sure she’s flushing. “I mean, I’m not the kind of person who just meets someone and goes – oh, yeah, they’re perfect.” She laughs a little. “I’m usually the opposite, actually.”

“Jensen did warn me you could be judgmental,” Adrianne agrees. “It’s why I didn’t want to wear heels, in case you already thought I was too tall.”

“Oh, god, you in heels would be outstanding,” Danneel blurts out, because the mental image is _fantastic_.

“Well, I’m pretty hot.”

“Absolutely,” Danneel says. “So where were we?”

“Your sad crush on the cute but straight girl,” Adrianne supplies.

“Right, that. She just asked if I want to have drinks later.”

“And?”

Danneel rolls her eyes. “And I want to, duh, but keeping my thoughts platonic is _totally_ impossible when there’s alcohol involved.”

Adrianne nods, and they’re quiet for a few minutes while they finish their meals. Then Adrianne takes a sip of her soda and leans forward a little across the table. Danneel has an _awesome_ view down her top when she does this. “You know,” Adrianne says, “I’m not above going with and drunkenly making out with you, if it comes to that. You know, just to keep your friendship secure.”

For about a second, Danneel thinks about saying no, but really – she’s only human, and there’s the added bonus of making Jensen cry at the injustice of it all, or whatever. So she sends Genevieve a _sounds awesome, I’m bringing a friend_ in reply, and only grins a _little_ stupidly when Genevieve texts her a heart in response.

*

By the time Danneel and Adrianne reach the bar, Genevieve already has a small collection of frilly umbrellas on the counter in front of her, and she and Jensen are singing along loudly to whatever pretentious shit is coming out of the stereo system. When Genevieve sees her, she jumps up from her stool to pull Danneel into a lung-crushing hug, and Danneel has to remind herself that breathing is an important function in life because this feels – really nice.

“Jensen’s been buying me drinks,” Genevieve tells her when she finally pulls away. Jensen’s not working tonight, but he’s sitting at the bar next to her. “I told him it wouldn’t get him in my pants, but I don’t think he got the message.”

Like always, Jensen blushes bright red. Danneel’s not actually sure how Genevieve always manages to do that, but it’s awesome. He and Danneel exchange a look, and it’s only when Jensen raises an eyebrow at her and says, “Hey, Adrianne,” that Danneel remembers about her date.

“Hey, so,” Danneel says, pulling back a little toward Adrianne, “this is Adrianne. Adrianne, Genevieve.”

“Hey,” Adrianne says, offering a polite smile. Genevieve smiles back lopsided and adorable, and Danneel has to stare at Adrianne for a minute to resist doing something _stupid_. “So,” Adrianne says, tilting her head at Danneel and gesturing to the bar, “should we catch up?”

“Absolutely,” Danneel says, leaning down to give Jensen a peck on the cheek. “More drinks, babe.”

Jensen scowls at her and mutters something about needing fewer female friends, but it isn’t long before Adrianne and Danneel are a few shots closer to where Jensen and Genevieve are at. Danneel’s buzzed and feeling good, but when Genevieve pulls out her phone and starts drunk-texting Jared, she decides to drag Adrianne off toward the pool table instead of hanging around.

*

Adrianne ends up kicking her ass at pool, which in no way surprises Danneel. She’s not a bad player herself, but her coordination’s more than a little off by now, and she keeps getting _distracted_ every time Adrianne leans over the table. Or stands next to her. Or does _anything_ , really.

“She’s cute,” Adrianne comments, looking back over at Genevieve and Jensen once she pockets the last ball. It’s too loud in the bar for Danneel to hear them from this far away, but she can tell by the way that they look that they’re singing again. Genevieve’s head is thrown back and she’s laughing and Danneel isn’t sure how the transition happens, how she gets from watching Genevieve to pressing herself up against Adrianne, but once it does she can’t seem to stop.

It isn’t long before they’re making out, messy and heated, before Danneel has Adrianne’s tongue in her mouth and Adrianne’s back pressed against the pool table and it feels _good_ , feels _amazing_. Adrianne tastes like rum and pineapple and she has her hands in Danneel’s hair and somehow, Danneel manages to forget about just about everything else.

For a minute, anyway.

“Jesus,” Genevieve says. “I came over here to cheer you on, but this isn’t actually what I meant.”

Danneel knows her face is bright red when she pulls away from Adrianne, and it’s probably just the alcohol, but Genevieve looks a little pink, too. Adrianne is grinning a sheepishly, but she stays put until Danneel pulls back.

“That would probably be weird,” Danneel agrees, when she finally manages words again. She’s having a hard time looking at Genevieve, because they’ve never – they don’t _talk_ about this stuff. It’s not anything they’ve said outright, but Danneel doesn’t really ask about Jared, and Genevieve’s never –

There’s always more for them to say.

“A little,” Genevieve says. She looks between Adrianne and Danneel, then says, “You didn’t tell me you were bringing a _date_. Shouldn’t you two be having really awesome sex somewhere?”

Danneel blushes bright red, but she’s pleased to note that Adrianne does, too this time. “First date,” Adrianne supplies, when Danneel finds herself incapable of speech. “I am way classier than that.”

“I’m not,” Danneel says, looking at Adrianne and grinning. It’s sort of true, actually, but it’s mostly to kill all the _awkward_ that’s happening here.

“Me either,” Genevieve says, and there’s total silence again before Adrianne turns to Danneel and says, “So, I’m going to head out, I think.”

“Oh,” Danneel says, with the feeling that Jensen is probably never going to speak to her again after this. “Okay.”

But Adrianne smiles reassuringly at her. “I have to get up kind of early tomorrow. You have my number if you want to do this again, okay? I had fun.”

“Me too,” Danneel says quietly, nodding a little. Adrianne doesn’t kiss her goodbye, because Genevieve is still standing _right there_ and Danneel’s pretty sure she looks at least half as uncomfortable as she feels, but Adrianne smiles at Danneel again and touches her shoulder briefly before she goes.

When Danneel turns back to her, Genevieve’s looking at her a little strangely. Danneel shifts and asks, “What?”

Genevieve bites her lip, then shakes her head. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me you were on a date.”

Danneel shrugs, glancing away for a second before she says, “It’s not a big deal. Adrianne said she didn’t mind.” Which isn’t _true_ , but – it’s close enough.

“Idiot,” Genevieve says, rolling her eyes. But then she smiles fondly at Danneel, like Danneel is so dumb that she can’t _help_ but like her anyway, and she reaches out and tugs on her hand. “Come on,” she says. “I left Jensen by the bar, and if we don’t get back soon he’s going to have to sing all of that fucking Wilco song by himself.”

“Tragic,” Danneel says, but she follows anyway. She spends the rest of the night sitting between Genevieve and Jensen, who, if he doesn’t help keep Danneel’s drunken inappropriate behavior to a minimum, at least engages in enough of it himself that Danneel snuggling up next to Genevieve kind of pales in comparison.

“So,” Genevieve asks at the end of the night, when it’s just two of them in the backseat of Jensen’s car, “are you going to see her again?”

“Who?” Danneel asks. She’s half asleep, and Genevieve’s warm and right next to her, even though there’s plenty of room for both of them.

“My aunt Beatrice. Who? The hot redhead, dummy. Your _date_.” Something about the way Genevieve says it is off, Danneel thinks, but she’s too drunk to tell what that might be.

“I don’t know,” Danneel admits, shrugging. “She was nice. I had fun. But…” she shrugs again. She’s drunk, but she’s not so drunk she’s going to finish that sentence in any honest way – _but she isn’t you_. She’s really trying to _eliminate_ that type of thinking, but if tonight is proof of anything, it’s proof that that’s – if not impossible, harder than it seems.

“But nothing,” Genevieve says, elbowing her in the side. Danneel’s watching not Genevieve, but their reflection in the window. “She’s seriously good-looking. Date her.”

“ _You_ date her,” Danneel says, turning to look at Genevieve and grinning obnoxiously.

“She’s too tall for me,” Genevieve says, grinning back for a minute before she looks Danneel in the eye and says, “Seriously. You deserve to be happy, you know? Date someone I don’t want to beat up.”

Danneel reaches over and squeezes Genevieve’s wrist briefly. “I’ll try,” she says, quietly.

“That’s all I ask.” Genevieve smiles again, and then says, loud enough for Jensen to hear over the music on the car stereo, “And then we can both set Jensen up with someone awesome.”

“Fuck you both very much,” Jensen mutters, not even glancing back at them as he pulls the car up at Genevieve’s apartment building. “Get outta my car, Cortese.”

“Love you, too, buddy,” Genevieve says, reaching forward to ruffle Jensen’s hair before she gets out of the car. Danneel laughs when she starts blowing them both kisses before she gets inside the building.

“Get up here,” Jensen says to Danneel before he pulls back on the road. “I’m not a goddamn cab driver.”

Danneel laughs again, but climbs over the back seat and gets on the passenger’s side. As soon as she’s settled, she expects Jensen to start talking – expects him to bitch about having to hang out with Genevieve by himself, expects him to tell her off for bringing Adrianne into an awkward situation. Instead, he looks over at her and says, “She’s right, you know.” Danneel doesn’t answer, but it’s Jensen, and she knows she doesn’t have to. He keeps the music low, and he drives her back home in silence.

*

The first time Genevieve says it, she and Danneel are hanging out at Starbucks before Genevieve starts work. Danneel has to work in a few hours, but she and Genevieve both have an audition coming up for a TV pilot and they’re practicing lines when Jared stops in.

Not that Danneel actively pays attention to these things, but Jared and Genevieve are in one of their off stages – from what Danneel understands of it, Jared occasionally tries to turn their relationship into something bigger, and Genevieve doesn’t want that. Danneel actively tries not to find that heartening.

Still, even when Jared and Genevieve aren’t having sex, Jared insists on visiting before work, or auditions, or whatever-the-hell. Whenever Jensen starts talking about Danneel’s codependency/stalker issues, she turns the subject to Jared and Jensen leaves her alone for a while.

Anyway, Jared invites himself to sit down next to them, and pretty soon there’s some lighthearted teasing about the part they’re both auditioning for – girlfriend to a superhero who’s trying to hide that she has superpowers of her own.

“Whatever, Jared,” Genevieve says after a minute of this, smacking him upside the head with her script. “You’re just jealous you don’t have an awesome best friend to run lines with you.”

“That’s true,” Jared says, rubbing exaggeratedly at the spot where Genevieve hit him. He turns to Danneel, grinning. “You don’t want to switch allegiances, do you?”

Danneel’s still a little breathless, a little too warm from the way Genevieve just said _best friend_ so casually, like it’s something they’ve both known all along. She guesses they have, maybe. She’s always had Jensen, but Genevieve is – yeah.

“Not a chance,” Danneel says, recovering enough to smirk at Jared.

“That’s my girl,” Genevieve says, and Danneel’s heart doesn’t skip a beat or anything, but she thinks it gets pretty close. Jared smiles at Danneel, something in his expression that Danneel can’t quite place. He starts to say something, and then seems to think better of it. Then he reaches over and taps Danneel’s script with his index finger. “Good luck tomorrow,” he says. “Both of you.”

“Thanks,” Danneel says, a little thrown. “You, too.”

“Me?” Jared asks, putting a hand to his heart. “I don’t need luck. This is natural talent right here. I was _born_ awesome.”

*

Danneel continues to date girls, although Adrianne is the only one she bothers to see more than once. They go to dinner sometimes or hang out at Adrianne’s place, and they usually end up fooling around. Jensen enjoys telling her she looks happier now that she’s getting laid regularly, but that’s because Jensen’s a jerk who likes embarrassing her in front of Genevieve. Or embarrassing Genevieve, which Danneel supposes is actually fair.

She and Adrianne aren’t girlfriends or anything, though. “No offense or anything,” Adrianne tells her one morning, when Danneel’s gathering up her clothes in a hurry so she can meet Genevieve for breakfast before work, “but I don’t think I could seriously _date_ you while you’re still rushing out of bed to go meet another girl.”

Danneel pauses midway through putting her hair in a messy bun and quirks an eyebrow at Adrianne. “I mean, you’re great and all,” Adrianne says, returning the look, “but _really_.”

“Does that mean I should see if Jensen can round someone up for me for Friday night?” Danneel asks. They’re both joking, tones casual, but she knows it’s – Adrianne has a point. If being around _her_ hasn’t cured her of this whole messy crush, Danneel’s not sure what will.

“Danneel,” Adrianne says. She’s still relaxed, sitting up in bed with nothing but a sheet half-covering her, but her expression turns a little serious. “Have you tried talking to her about it?”

Before she can stop herself, Danneel laughs. “What would that do? She’s straight. Telling her I –” Danneel shakes her head. “It’s weird enough talking about _dating_.”

Adrianne tilts her head thoughtfully, and she looks like she’s about to say something, but just then Danneel’s phone buzzes with a text. _Listen, motherfucker, these pancakes aren’t going to eat themselves_. “I have to go,” Danneel says, and Adrianne nods, unsurprised.

*

“Those are the same clothes you wore yesterday,” Genevieve says as soon as Danneel reaches the table she’s picked out in the diner. “Classy, Harris.”

“Silence,” Danneel says, sliding into the booth across from her and picking up her menu. “You were the one rushing me over here. You don’t even have _coffee_ yet.”

“Fuck you, I’m polite,” Genevieve says, sticking her tongue out before catching the waitress’s eye from across the room. They both order enough food to kill them, and Danneel figures it’ll initiate a subject change, but Genevieve says, “So. Adrianne.”

“I’m Danneel,” Danneel says lightly. “Do I have to start wearing my nametag around you all the time?”

Genevieve picks up one of the little paper special menus and smacks Danneel on the head with it. Danneel scowls at her, but shuts up.

“I just mean…” Genevieve looks down and starts unwrapping the paper around her silverware. “Are you guys – you know, is she your girlfriend?” She looks back up at that, and Danneel’s speechless, for a minute. She and Jensen talk about this kind of thing all the time, yeah, but she and Genevieve, they just.

Don’t.

“No,” Danneel says finally, honestly.

“Oh,” Genevieve says, and she nods a little to herself before her look sharpens a little and she asks, “well, why the fuck not? I mean,” Genevieve makes a face. “You hang out together, and you’re sleeping together, and she _obviously_ likes you – which, duh, she’d _better_ , but…” She trails off, and the waitress comes by with coffee, but even that isn’t enough to keep her from asking, once the waitress is gone, “So why not?”

Danneel can’t answer that honestly, so she reaches for her coffee and counters, “Why isn’t Jared your boyfriend?”

“Because he’s a dumb loser,” Genevieve answers easily, stirring sugar into her coffee.

“Gen,” Danneel says. Jared isn’t her favorite topic – she’d like to pretend he doesn’t exist, except he’s not actually a _bad_ guy. She’d consider him a friend, if he didn’t spend so much damn time with Genevieve. Still, she knows Genevieve cares about him, and for the most part that’s enough for her.

“I don’t want that,” Genevieve says finally, shrugging.

“But he does,” Danneel says. It’s supposed to be a question, but it comes out a statement and Genevieve nods. “Then –” _maybe you shouldn’t be with him_ , she’s about to say, but the waitress shows up with their food and Danneel decides she’s better off not saying it at all.

Genevieve starts pouring syrup on her pancakes, but before she lifts her fork to her mouth she points it at Danneel and says, “Don’t think we’re done with this conversation just because I have food now, missy.”

Danneel sighs. “Adrianne’s not my girlfriend, okay?” she says, quiet but on the edge of frustration. “She’s not going to be.”

Genevieve looks at her for a long time, not saying anything but just _looking_. Danneel isn’t sure what to say, what to feel, so she just lets her. “Okay,” Genevieve says at last, and the smile she gives Danneel is small but true. “Okay.”

*

On Friday, Danneel and Genevieve drive to the audition for what Jensen refers to as the _superhero pilot thing_ , switching off rehearsing lines while in the car. By the time they reach the place – early this time, even – they’ve started talking about normal things again, their jobs and the concert Genevieve wants to see next week and whether or not they should set Jensen up with one of the guys at Genevieve’s work.

“See,” Genevieve’s saying as they grab a couple of seats, “I think it would be good karma, maybe, but if he _likes_ the guy, then I have to see Jensen all the time.”

 

“It’s really not as bad as it sounds,” Danneel says, laughing. “Also, he wouldn’t agree to it. Jensen can get his own dates.”

 

“Right,” Genevieve says, scoffing. “I’ve known you guys for _months_ , and both of you are like goddamn monks or something.”

 

Right on schedule, Danneel blushes. “We’re really not,” she assures her.

 

Genevieve gives her a look, but Danneel is saved from whatever she has to say to that by one of the assistants for the show calling Genevieve’s name. “Fuck,” Genevieve says, looking more panicked than Danneel’s ever seen her at one of these. “Why did we get here so _early_?”

 

“Because we’re awesome that way,” Danneel says. She’s not really feeling the same panic – she’s not particularly confident she’ll get the part, but she’s also pretty sure she can make rent this month regardless.

 

“Ugh,” Genevieve says, getting slowly to her feet.

 

“Gen,” Danneel says, a little concerned. Danneel’s usually the nervous one at these things, and it’s throwing her off to see Genevieve like this. “Sweetie, you’ll be fine. Just think about how mad I’ll be at you if you get the part instead of me.”

Genevieve smiles faintly at that, and it’s enough to get her across the room and to the door. “I’m so dumping you as a friend if that happens. Just so we’re clear,” she says faintly.

“Yeah, yeah,” Danneel says, shooing her off. “ _Go._ ”

*

Danneel doesn’t ace her audition or anything, but she isn’t terrible. The directors ask her to come back another day to audition for a different, smaller part – one of the neighbors, who doesn’t have a lot of lines in the first script, but seems to be a comic relief part. Danneel thanks them, and when she walks out of the building to find Genevieve she’s still smiling a little – it all went better than expected, at least.

But when Danneel gets out of the building, Genevieve’s not there. They came together in Genevieve’s car, but the car isn’t where they left it.

She calls Genevieve immediately, and gets no answer. She calls two times, three, and gets nothing. She sends a quick text with a question mark, and still nothing.

After ten minutes, she calls Jensen. He listens to her babble incoherently for a while before agreeing to come pick her up, and as soon as she hangs up she calls Genevieve again.

There’s still no answer, but after another minute she gets a text. _I had to bail_ , Genevieve writes. _Don’t hate me, okay? Ilu._

Danneel doesn’t understand a single fucking word of it, but Genevieve still doesn’t pick up when she calls, so she saves the seething for once Jensen arrives.

“So, how’d the audition go?” Jensen asks, after a solid ten minutes of Danneel ranting. She isn’t even angry about being left behind – yeah, that sucks, but more than anything she’s upset that Genevieve isn’t even _talking_ to her, for whatever stupid reason. Genevieve tells her _everything_.

Well, mostly.

Danneel takes a deep breath. “I have a callback for next week,” Danneel says. “Different part, but still.”

Jensen’s face lights up. He hasn’t said anything about Genevieve, but she can tell he’s upset, too, and he’s glad for a subject change. “That’s fucking _awesome_ ,” he says. “Man, you are so gonna be on TV.”

“I’ve been on TV before,” Danneel says defensively. As a one-lined victim on some cop drama, sure, but _still_.

“Man,” Jensen says, turning briefly to give her a shit-eating grin, “you are so gonna be on TV someone might _watch_.”

“But not you?”

“No, man,” Jensen says, faking a grimace. “Definitely not me.”

Danneel doesn’t punch him, because he’s driving, but it’s a near thing.

*

It’s midnight before Danneel hears anything from Genevieve, and even then, it’s not directly. _Come get your girlfriend_ , Jensen texts her, like he knows he doesn’t even have to call her because she’ll be waiting up.

Which is entirely true, of course.

She’s still wearing sweats and a t-shirt, so she puts on shoes and grabs her purse and drives over to Jensen’s place. When she gets to the apartment, Genevieve is outside sitting on the porch steps. She looks up when Danneel approaches, smiling shy and sad and Danneel wills her resentment about being left behind today to stick around, but it doesn’t.

“So, I suck,” Genevieve says quietly.

“You don’t,” Danneel assures her, but Genevieve shakes her head, looking back at the ground. “I just,” she says, gesturing. “It was so _bad_. I couldn’t even – I had to go. Right then. And it’s...” she takes a shuddering breath, but doesn’t finish her sentence. Danneel reaches down, running her hand through Genevieve’s hair. Genevieve tilts her head up to look at her, big brown eyes and a watery smile, and Danneel knows right then that whatever she feels for Genevieve, it’s so much more than a crush.

She drops her hand and sits down next to Genevieve. “Why’d you come here?” she asks.

Genevieve shrugs, laughing a little. “I figured I’d let Jensen yell at me for a while, so that whatever you said would be easy in comparison.”

“He yelled?”

“Mostly he just gave me a lot of judging looks,” Genevieve admits. “And then he made me tea. It was weird. Like, who fucking knew Jensen owned stuff like that?”

“I did,” Danneel says, smiling. “He and I have had a lot of bad relationships.”

“Weirdos,” Genevieve says. She tilts her head, grinning a little. “I think I’m growing on him. Pretty soon, he’ll like me just as much as you do.”

_Let’s hope not_ , Danneel thinks, all while asking, “Do you think it’s your winning personality that did it?”

“Nope,” says Genevieve, grinning wider. “Definitely my boobs.”

They both laugh, and then they’re quiet for a minute, just sitting there beneath the porch light, close enough that their shoulders are touching. Danneel isn’t sure whether to ask about the audition or not, or whether it’s okay to share her good news, so she doesn’t say anything yet.

Finally, Genevieve says, quietly, “This place is just exhausting, you know? Auditioning is like waiting for the bus. Except the bus is late. Like, monumentally late. And when it finally shows up, there’s nowhere to sit. So you try to grab onto the bar, but the bar’s fucking covered in something gross, and to top it off there’s some creepy guy leering at you from across the way and you just think well, maybe –”

“Gen,” Danneel says, but before she can say anything else, Genevieve turns her head and covers Danneel’s mouth with hers, and Danneel can’t think anything at all.

It’s a few seconds before Danneel even registers what’s happening – Genevieve’s lips are soft against hers, and Genevieve brings her hand up to cup Danneel’s face, and Danneel can’t even think to kiss _back_ , because this is –

“ _Gen_ ,” Danneel says, pulling back. Even in the dim light from the porch, Danneel can see that Genevieve’s cheeks are tinted pink, and Genevieve moves back a little and drops her gaze. Danneel wants, more than anything, to pull her back in, but she doesn’t. “What –”

Genevieve laughs softly, in a way that does nothing but make Danneel’s chest ache. Minutes pass, and a car alarm goes off somewhere in the distance, and Danneel bites back a hundred different questions before Genevieve looks over at her, finally, and asks, “Do you think I could stay on your devil couch tonight? I don’t really want to go back home.”

Danneel feels a little unsure about touching Genevieve, after what just happened, but that doesn’t stop her from putting her hand over Genevieve’s and squeezing briefly. “It’s not a devil couch,” she teases. “It’s a misunderstood couch. But yeah, of course.”

“Great,” Genevieve says, smiling faintly. Then she tilts her head up toward the apartment and shouts at the top of her lungs, “Thanks, Jensen!” She keeps close to Danneel’s side as they walk to the car, and before Danneel starts the engine she gets a text. _Tell that basket case that phones work, too, and give her a hug for me._

Danneel’s life confuses the fuck out of her sometimes.

*

Sometime after ten o’clock the next morning, Danneel wakes up to the smell of smoke and the sound of the fire alarm going off. She stumbles out of bed and into the living room, and from there she sees the cloud of smoke rising from the stove in the kitchen. Genevieve isn’t on the couch, but awake and standing on a chair to get at the fire alarm.

“Jesus,” Danneel says, and Genevieve squeaks at the sound before finally managing to pull the fire alarm off the ceiling. It keeps beeping, but Danneel goes to open some windows and air out the house, and once that’s done she and Genevieve walk over to inspect whatever was burning.

Danneel _thinks_ it might have been eggs. She’s only experienced Genevieve’s cooking once before, and it turned out about this disastrously – frozen pizza burnt to a crisp. “Sorry,” Genevieve says, and the fire alarm gives one last feeble _beep_ before quieting. “I wanted to surprise you.”

“Trust me,” Danneel says, a little grumpily, “I’m surprised.”

Genevieve nods, looking sadly at whatever monstrosity she managed to cook up. “I should’ve just run down to the diner. You never would’ve known.”

“I also wouldn’t have minded,” Danneel says, letting up not because Genevieve looks sleep-rumpled and completely adorable, not even because they _kissed_ last night and Danneel can’t stop thinking about it, but because Genevieve still doesn’t look completely – okay. She leans back against the kitchen counter, and Genevieve moves to stand next to her. “What’s with the breakfast?”

“I wanted to make things up to you,” Genevieve says. “You know, the whole –” she gestures vaguely. “I’m kind of a mess sometimes. Obviously.”

“You’re kind of perfect,” Danneel says, wishing for a second that she didn’t _mean_ it.

Genevieve blushes, keeping her eyes on the floor. Danneel can see pieces of eggshell near their bare feet. “Danneel,” Genevieve says carefully. “Last night, when I -” Danneel stays completely still, like anything she says might wreck it all. Like if she hopes hard enough that Genevieve’s not about to take it all – whatever it all _was_ – back, then she won’t. “I don’t know what that was,” Genevieve says finally, glancing up at her quickly before looking away again.

“Oh,” Danneel says. She moves back to the stove and starts to clean up, scraping the burnt remains of whatever into the trash and then, on second thought, just throwing out the entire pan. She feels Genevieve watching her but Danneel doesn’t say anything else, isn’t sure she’s capable of saying anything else, just yet, without her voice shaking.

After a minute, Genevieve walks past her and gets back on the chair to replace the alarm. Danneel scrubs what she can off the stove and cleans up the rest of Genevieve’s mess, then washes her hands in the sink and dries them. Once she’s finished, Genevieve’s standing at the other end of the kitchen, still watching her. Danneel raises her eyebrows in question.

“I just – you know you’re my best friend, right?” Genevieve asks. “I mean, whatever – you know how much I care about you, right?”

Danneel nods. She does – if the constant visits and phone calls and text messages didn’t make it obvious, everything else would. She couldn’t explain their friendship to anyone else if she tried, how fast it built up out of nothing, but she knows that it’s real. That if Genevieve never feels the same way about her as Danneel feels about Genevieve, it’ll still be okay.

It’ll hurt like hell, but it’ll be okay.

Genevieve nods as well, smiling faintly. “I don’t want to mess anything up, you know?”

Danneel isn’t sure what Genevieve means – if she means the kiss, or everything else that happened this morning – but instead of making herself ask, she smiles wryly and says, “You’re doing a hell of a job.”

“Shut up,” Genevieve scoffs, shifting uncomfortably. “I’m an idiot.”

“You’re not,” Danneel assures her. She steps out of the kitchen, but as she starts to move past her, Genevieve grabs her arm and Danneel looks down at her. “I broke up with Jared,” Genevieve says quickly, and before Danneel can say _I’m sorry_ , summon up some mostly-false words of sympathy, Genevieve’s hand is on the back of her neck and she’s pushing Danneel down into another kiss.

It’s different from last night. It’s just as sudden but it’s not as soft and more importantly, Danneel doesn’t pull back this time. Her brain isn’t working any more coherently than the last time Genevieve tried this, but it’s – Genevieve is kissing _her_ , not the other way around, not like Danneel’s always afraid she’s going to try to do if she gets a little too drunk.

Genevieve is kissing her, and after a few seconds, when Danneel knows this isn’t some sort of epic mistake (it still might be, but not that kind), Danneel starts to kiss back. She tilts her head, fixing the angle, and when her mouth opens against Genevieve’s, Genevieve makes this little _sound_ in the back of her throat, and Danneel still can’t believe this is happening. She starts to move back a step, to give Genevieve a minute to think if she needs it, but Genevieve’s grip stays firm on her and then that’s Genevieve’s _tongue_ in her mouth, and Danneel loses all thought capability.

They’re making out, right there in the kitchen with the smell of smoke around them, and Danneel has one hand in Genevieve’s hair and the other on her hip and this isn’t like she pictured it, not at all, but Genevieve’s lips are soft against hers and before Danneel knows it the counter is digging into her back and it’s not what she pictured, but right then, it feels like exactly what she wants.

Which is exactly when Genevieve’s phone rings, the Clash’s “Clampdown” going off at top volume.

“ _Fuck_ ,” Genevieve says, finally pulling back. Her mouth is red and her cheeks are stained pink and her hair’s a mess and Danneel is sorely tempted to quip back _yes, please_ , but Genevieve is already halfway across the room. “If this isn’t a fucking emergency, I quit,” Genevieve says before she answers the phone.

Danneel stays in the kitchen, leaning back against the counter and catching her breath while Genevieve talks with whoever on the phone. She wills her expression to look anything but lovesick when Genevieve hangs up and walks back over to her.

“I gotta go,” Genevieve says, like Danneel didn’t just have her hands tangled in her hair. “Work wants me in an hour early, and it’d probably be cool if I didn’t show up in the same clothes as yesterday.”

“Okay,” Danneel says carefully.

“Do you work tonight?” Genevieve asks.

“Five to close,” Danneel says, nodding faintly. She brings her hand up to rub the back of her neck.

“Good,” Genevieve says. “Maybe I’ll drag up Jared and come bother you. I think Jensen needs a break from me.”

“What?” Danneel asks, before she can stop herself. She didn’t realize before, that Genevieve said _broke up_ like she and Jared had ever done more than the friends-with-benefits thing, but she didn’t think – she didn’t figure they’d still be –

Genevieve’s eyes widen. “Or I could just bring me,” she corrects.

“Jared would eat the whole restaurant,” Danneel says, trying to get some ground back under her feet. She isn’t sure whether to laugh or cry, or what the hell just _happened_ , or what any of this is, that Genevieve’s standing in front of her like nothing –

“Right,” Genevieve agrees. She tilts her head, eyes running over Danneel like she’s searching for something. Danneel isn’t sure whether she hopes Genevieve finds it or not. “Are you -” Genevieve starts, “was that not okay?”

Danneel can’t help it; she laughs, sharp and painful. Because it’s only what she’s been thinking about for months. Because she forgot, for a second, that Genevieve’s had this _thing_ with Jared going for ages, and for a second Danneel thought maybe she and Genevieve could be something else. Something bigger. Something more.

Because she knows, with everything in her, that Genevieve loves her, but she also knows it isn’t enough. It isn’t like _that_.

“I think I’ll live,” Danneel says finally, like it’s all a joke. Her chest aches and she wants to cry, wants to crawl back into bed and stay there for days, but she waits until Genevieve leaves to let herself do anything at all.

*

It takes Danneel a while, but she eventually calls Jensen around noon, because no matter how much he’s probably going to judge her, he’s also the best person she knows.

Aside from Genevieve, anyway. Danneel kind of wishes the person she had the most problems with wasn’t the person she cares about the most.

Jensen doesn’t bother with a hello, just says, “Please, please tell me you took that girl home with you and got laid.”

“No,” Danneel says, but before Jensen can go off on a tangent about Danneel’s terrible life choices, she says, “but she kissed me.”

“Huh.” Jensen’s quiet for a minute, like he’s thinking. “Did you ask her out?”

Danneel doesn’t say anything.

“Danneel, I swear to god –”

“She doesn’t _want_ me to,” Danneel says, talking right over Jensen. She rarely snaps on him; she prefers to save her rage for the assholes at work who try to push her around because she seems sweet and pretty, but before she can stop herself she blurts out, “she fucking kissed _me_ , Jensen. Twice! And then the second she stopped, she just acted like it was – like it was _nothing_.”

“How was it?” Jensen asks.

“Amazing,” Danneel says. “She – _god_. But she broke up with Jared, did she tell you that?”

“She mighta mentioned it, yeah,” Jensen says, and Danneel doesn’t need to be in front of him to know that he shrugs at that. “But it’s not like they had some epic fuckin’ relationship, Danneel. It’s like if you and me started sleeping together.”

In spite of everything that’s going on in her head, Danneel laughs. “Trust me, babe, if we started sleeping together, it _would_ be fuckin’ epic.”

“’s what I’ve been tellin’ you for years,” Jensen agrees. They’re quiet for a minute, and Danneel peels the cellophane off her pack of cigarettes, takes one out, and steps outside on the porch before lighting it and taking a drag. “Listen,” Jensen says then. “I don’t know exactly what’s going on with her, but I know that you two love each other.”

“She said that, too,” Danneel says. “She said she didn’t want to mess anything up.”

“Well,” Jensen mutters. “She’s doing a great job, then, isn’t she?”

Danneel nearly coughs up a lung laughing. “That’s what I said.”

She can’t see him, but she knows Jensen smiles, then, that kind of _you’re an idiot but I love you anyway_ smile. It’s the same way she looks at him most of the time, too. “Just talk to her, okay? Write her a note, get shitfaced, just fuckin’ _tell her_ before you both give me a heart attack.”

“Jesus,” says Danneel, laughing. “ _Okay_. Relax.”

“ _You_ relax,” Jensen says, and hangs up. Danneel stubs out her cigarette and heads back inside to get ready for work, feeling, if not better, a lot less like crying.

*

Genevieve doesn’t stop by during Danneel’s shift like she said she would, and Danneel tries to hold back her disappointment when there are no missed calls or text messages from her when she takes her break, either.

It’s fine, really. Maybe Genevieve got caught up at work, maybe she’s hanging out with someone else, maybe a hundred different things. It’s _fine_. Danneel’s entire fucking life doesn’t revolve around this one girl. She texts Adrianne to check up on her, and she and Jensen discuss _his_ last date (“her family is _Mormon_ ,” Jensen says, “I don’t care how nice her rack is, that’s too weird”), and before Danneel knows it her shift is over. She didn’t even want to stab anyone in the eye with a fork tonight.

That in itself is an accomplishment, really.

When she gets out of work it’s after eleven, and all she really wants to do is go home and collapse on the couch, but when she reaches her apartment Genevieve is sitting outside on the steps, holding an enormous bottle of tequila.

“Is this a method acting thing?” Danneel asks, in some sad attempt to hide how surprised she is. “Did you forget to tell me you’re auditioning for a drunk hobo?”

“Fuck you,” Genevieve says. She stands, brushes herself off with her free hand, and looks up at Danneel. She looks at least as tired as Danneel feels, but she holds up the bottle and offers Danneel one of those smiles that always leave her a little breathless. “We’re getting drunk.”

Danneel smiles back, then unlocks the main door and holds it open for Genevieve before she says, “Well, I didn’t think we were _cleaning_.”

*

As soon as they get inside, Danneel changes into something that doesn’t smell like grease and charcoal, and Genevieve starts pouring shots, lining them up along the kitchen counter. Danneel thinks she should probably ask what the occasion is, but the truth is, after the last two days, Danneel could _really_ use a drink or twelve.

So they drink. Genevieve tells Danneel some story about the soccer mom that came into her work tonight, but the story is told over four shots and Danneel loses track after the third, and Genevieve’s always been a lightweight, and it isn’t long before Genevieve’s leaning against Danneel to stay upright.

When that happens, Danneel tugs on Genevieve’s arm, meaning to just drag her over to the couch, but when they get there, their limbs get all tangled up and before Danneel knows what’s up or down or diagonal, they’re both on the couch and Danneel has Genevieve pressed back against the cushions and they’re making out again. Genevieve’s mouth opens almost immediately against hers and Danneel licks her way inside while Genevieve grabs fistfuls of Danneel’s hair and bucks up underneath her. It’s sloppy and messy and Danneel doesn’t stop, doesn’t get anywhere near stopping until she moves from Genevieve’s mouth to her neck, starts licking and sucking at the skin there, and Genevieve gets enough breath in her to pant, “ _Danneel_.”

Danneel freezes. She’s drunk, drunker than she’s ever been around Genevieve, and her head is swimming but she gathers just enough strength to push herself off Genevieve and onto the other cushion. She doesn’t look at Genevieve, just leans forward and buries her face in her hands, willing the room to stop spinning.

“Sorry,” she says after a minute, still not looking up. “Fuck, Gen, I –”

“ _Danneel_ ,” Genevieve says again, in a different tone this time. Danneel looks up at her – trying not to stare at how kiss-reddened Genevieve’s lips are, at the mark she can already see on Genevieve’s neck, at the way her chest is still heaving a little. Genevieve looks a little dazed, but when Danneel finally manages to meet her eyes, Genevieve smirks at her. “Do you really think I would’ve jumped you twice now if I didn’t want you to do that?” she asks.

“What are we doing here, Gen?” Danneel asks, sounding less drunk than she is. This – this, right here, she could write off as some drunken mistake, as everything she was always afraid would happen if she let herself drink too much – she could do that, if it weren’t for those other times.

But she needs to know, first.

“Making out?” Genevieve asks, looking confused. “Maybe more than that,” she says, grinning a little. “I’ve never – you know, with a girl, but you’re the expert here.”

With more strength than she thought she had right now, Danneel pushes herself off the couch. She can’t do this. She can’t just –

She wants Genevieve, more than anything. More than she’s ever wanted anyone, maybe. But not like this. Not like it’s this _simple_ , because for her, it isn’t. It’s never been, and that’s the problem.

“What are you doing?” Genevieve asks. She’s gorgeous and flushed and Danneel wants to stay right here with her, wants to say _nothing_ and get right back to where they were, but she can’t. She can’t.

“I’m going to get some sleep,” Danneel says, quietly. “You probably should, too. The couch is all yours again, if you want it.”

Genevieve’s mouth opens and shuts a couple times, but after a minute she nods, and Danneel starts to walk away. She’ll save the clean-up for tomorrow morning – she’s too tired for any of that right now. She moves past the couch and she’s halfway to her room when Genevieve says her name again, more quietly than the times before. Danneel turns back, and Genevieve’s leaning over the couch to look at her. “Are we okay?” Genevieve asks.

“Yeah,” Danneel says, without hesitation. “Of course we are, sweetie.”

It’s not a lie, but Danneel pretends it doesn’t hurt as much as it does to say it. She gives Genevieve the best smile she can manage and says, “Try not to burn the house down tomorrow morning, okay?”

“No promises,” Genevieve shoots back. They say goodnight, and Danneel heads into her room and shuts the door behind her.

*

When Danneel wakes up the next morning, Genevieve’s gone and the kitchen is spotless, glasses all cleaned up and everything else in its place. The bottle of tequila is still there, with a note attached to it from Genevieve written in purple Sharpie: _Work 9-5 today, but keep your schedule clear because we’re going out. No boys allowed._

The rest of the sheet of paper is taken over by an enormous purple heart, but on the back there’s a PS: _You can keep the booze, or donate it to Jensen. Me and Jose need some time apart._

“So you have a date,” Jensen says, hours later when they’re hanging out at his place. Danneel spent the rest of her morning at an audition for a commercial that she didn’t get, and then came over here with enough pastries that Jensen had no choice but to forgive what he fondly called mind-numbing insanity.

“What?” Danneel asks. “No I don’t.”

Jensen made no promises about giving her judging looks. Danneel wishes they had agreed to that _before_ he started in on his bear claw. “Okay,” Jensen says slowly. “So you and Genevieve are hanging out. By yourselves. After you drunkenly groped each other after, you know, months of friendship that borders on obsession.”

“I fucking hate you,” Danneel says, with much less venom than she wants there to be in her voice. Glazed chocolate donuts make everything in her life better, as it turns out.

“That’s just not true,” Jensen says smugly. “Also, you have a date.”

“We’re _hanging out_ ,” Danneel insists. “Without your ugly mug. Basically, we’re having –”

“A gay old time?” Jensen finishes for her. Danneel punches him.

They spend the rest of the afternoon watching bad TV and talking about Jensen’s own terrible dating stories, and it mostly distracts Danneel from the thought that Jensen might be right.

Mostly, but not completely.

Not completely, because Genevieve calls her at five and before Danneel can say hello, she says, “I’m picking you up in an hour. Wear that top that makes Jensen forget how to breathe.” Then she hangs up before Danneel can ask _what_ or _is this_ or even, to be fair, _which one_? Because Danneel is not the most conservative dresser, really.

She’s still confused, but she’s too nervous to call Genevieve back and ask _anything_. If Jensen’s wrong, and it’s just the two of them hanging out like any time that they both don’t work, then Danneel doesn’t want to fuck things up.

Because the thing is, she’s done. She’s done trying, done with all of this stupid fucking pining, if all it’s going to do is make things _awkward_. They can just go back to being friends, if Jensen’s wrong – friends who _don’t_ drunkenly grope each other. If Jensen’s wrong, this can all just go back to the way it started.

If Jensen’s wrong.

*

Genevieve’s late to pick her up, and Danneel isn’t at all surprised, but it means she spends an extra twenty minutes trying _not_ to smoke her way through a pack of cigarettes. She straightens up the house and checks her e-mail and ignores all of Jensen’s texts except the last one, which says _seriously though, have fun_. She has just enough time to text him a heart before Genevieve finally shows up.

“Hey,” Danneel says as she gets in the car. It’s about all she manages, because Genevieve looks – okay, maybe Jensen is a little closer to being right. Genevieve’s never _not_ gorgeous, but tonight she’s dressed up – a low-cut but still pretty top Danneel’s never seen before, nice jeans, and a pair of high-heeled black boots that Danneel has had many a dirty thought about. She’s wearing dangly silver earrings and her hair’s done up, and Danneel’s starting to feel a little underdressed until Genevieve grins at her, big and goofy and perfect, and says, “That’s the one!” and Danneel can’t help but laugh.

The radio’s playing Johnny Cash, and Genevieve starts singing along as soon as she pulls away from Danneel’s apartment, imitating Johnny’s voice. It’s too adorable for Danneel to interrupt with questions like _where are we going_ or _what is this_ , so when Genevieve prompts her she starts singing along as well, making up whatever words she doesn’t know.

As it turns out, she doesn’t know very many of them.

By the time they reach their destination, they make it through four songs like that, and Danneel’s forgotten, for a moment, to be nervous about anything. This isn’t any different from how they usually are.

Then they get out of the car and Danneel kind of freaks out a little again because they’re going to a _restaurant_ – the kind of place with cloth napkins and snooty waiters and reservations and unpronounceable entrees and again, before Danneel can even start to question any of this, Genevieve starts tugging at her wrist. “God,” she mutters, “do I have to do _everything_?”

The host seats them without incident, except that Danneel still feels a little dazed, and she even manages to order a drink with relative ease. When the waiter leaves them alone to look over their menus, though, Danneel can’t take it anymore.

“Genevieve,” Danneel says, waiting until Genevieve glances up at her to continue. “What –” she starts, and then she swallows and decides to get right to the fucking point, for once. “Is this a date?”

Genevieve blushes, but she doesn’t look away. Danneel stares at her and waits for her to say something, _anything_. “Do you want it to be?” she asks.

Danneel keeps staring at her. The answer is _yes_ , of course. It’s always been yes, before she even really _knew_ Genevieve. It’s been yes, since before she learned that Genevieve has different ridiculous nicknames for every regular that comes into her store. It’s been yes, since before Genevieve started texting and calling her at all hours of the day about nothing, since before Genevieve somehow managed to find herself friends not just with Danneel but with _Jensen_ , who is basically impossible to get along with. It’s been yes, since before Danneel figured out that being with Genevieve could be messy and complicated but, she knows, so, so worth it.

The answer is yes, but she doesn’t say it yet. Because she knows, the way she’s known all along, that as much as she wants to date Genevieve, to be her _girlfriend_ , she doesn’t want that if it means the rest of this ends. If it screws something else up, completely.

The waiter comes back again before Danneel can answer, and Genevieve impatiently waves him off again. Danneel sees him sneer, and when she looks back at Genevieve, she’s looking at Danneel and frowning.

“I knew I was going to fuck this up,” Genevieve says. “But Jared told me if I wanted to _date_ you, I should actually, you know –” she makes some vague gesture that Danneel interprets as the entire night so far. “Instead of just, you know. Sticking my tongue down your throat.”

Danneel swallows the urge to say she didn’t exactly _mind_ and asks, “You want to date me?”

Genevieve gives her a look like she is, possibly, the dimmest person alive. Danneel silently takes back everything she thought about how awesome it is that Genevieve and Jensen are friends now, because they’re both too _good_ at that. “Danneel,” Genevieve says slowly, “I want to be your _girlfriend_. I want –” she lets out a breath, starts over, “I don’t want to be with anybody else. I know I’ve never – but I want _you_.”

“Oh,” Danneel says, quietly.

Genevieve looks at her, eyes wide and a little sad. “If you don’t want to, that’s okay. I know I’m kind of screwed up, and I did this all wrong, but I thought – maybe –”

“I’m in love with you,” Danneel says, all in a rush. It isn’t what she meant to say; Danneel meant to go the rest of her _life_ without saying it, if it never came up, but then it’s out there and Genevieve’s eyes widen even further and her mouth opens a little and there’s a long, long minute where Danneel isn’t sure either of them are going to speak before Genevieve breaks into a grin and says, “So, does that mean the girlfriend thing is a yes?”

Danneel isn’t sure whether to cry or to laugh, but she chooses the latter, because her mascara looks pretty great right now and she’s fairly certain the waiter here _already_ wants to kill them. “Depends,” Danneel says, grinning so hard her cheeks hurt from it. “Can we get the fuck out of here?”

“God, yes,” Genevieve says, breaking into a grin of her own. They grab their purses and Genevieve tugs Danneel back outside by the wrist and Danneel thinks that isn’t so different from usual, either.

They’re quiet until they reach the car, but it’s a different kind of quiet – Danneel feels like she’s about to burst, like there’s more laughter and happiness bubbling out of her than she even knows what to do with, and then Genevieve kisses her and it gets even better.

“So,” Genevieve says, smiling sloppy and stupidly up at Danneel when she pulls back. “You know I’m in love with you, too, right?”

Danneel didn’t, not at all, but she just says, “You should be, I’m awesome,” and kisses Genevieve again before she has time to agree or disagree.

They finally get back in the car when Danneel decides they might risk breaking a few public indecency laws if they don’t, and while Genevieve finds something new to sing along to, Danneel sends Jensen a quick text: _fine, jackass, you were right. Cue apocalypse._


End file.
